a child that grew up on the south side of chicago, far too many of my friends and mentors were gunned down. its cars you. i attended far too many funerals. parents that lost their 10-year- old, a 11-year-old. a desk that is going to be empty forever, trying to explain as a friend. nothing in my job is more difficult and has made me more aware of how adults -- not just our children, but entire communities. i am a parent of two young school-age children. we need to be having honest conversations with our kids. the worst thing to do would be to try to sweep this tragedy under the rug. we have tried to be very honest with our son and daughter. millions of kids around the country, we need to do everything we can to keep them and their friends saved because they deserve better. we are at the mall or before going to bed. we also help teachers and principals deal with their fears. we should never expect them to put their lives on the line. we owe it to these brave and heroic educators, just a little bit of the courage that they demonstrate. vice-president biden is convening cabinet secretarie